Awaken My Heart

“The church is asleep in the light”Keith Green

I am reminded of summer in 2014. I had two dreams in the month of July that shook me to the core. Both were about sin and compromise in the Church and my own life; both ended in death and destruction. For the next couple of months I often found myself suddenly weeping and had several eye opening conversations with people inside and outside of the church. This morning, as I write, I feel my heart has fallen asleep. How subtle media and the cares of life come in to dull the heart. May the Lord once again awaken me. May He again awaken you. He who purchased us with His own blood will not lose us to sin; and if we do not respond to His tender mercy, in His severe mercy He will do whatever it takes.

Here is an exerpt of my reflections on that summer from my 2014 journal.

The Lord unveiled a facet of His heart to my heart concerning sin and compromise. through the dreams the Lord exposed my view of sin had been passive, like dust on my shirt to be wiped off, but the reality is that all sin leads to death. All sin is seductive and destructive. The picture I see is a father sitting in a room with his son and the son is smoking crack right in front of the father. Do we not see how much the Lord loves us! Do we not see that every area of compromise is apart from God and leads to death! Do we not see how much the Lord longs to heal and restore our lives? How can He do this unless we come to Him? How can I say bless me lord, give me a long life, while I smoke destructive chemicals. No, that does not work. And we, the church, are not without influence. When the Lord awakens hearts, they turn to the church where the crack pipe gets passed to them. Do we not tremble at the words of Jesus, “If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matt. 18:6)? Many are seeking to know Jesus, so they turn to the church where most are bored with Jesus and are in a hurry to get through a service. Something is missing when the latest movie or sporting event is more exciting than time with the creator of the universe. Many are sought out by the church and invited to come drink with a blurred line of drunkenness. How many college ministries have “hang out” nights watching movies and shows that are filled with casual adultery if not overt sexual immorality? I have had conversations with several young people that are spiritually being awakened. One sought out church leaders with whom ventured with him in getting drunk. Another young man was discouraged in seeing a boring lifestyle; people checking a list of moral requirements, and more interested in the latest movie premier than time with Jesus. Both guys are being awakened by the Lord but are left wandering with no firm grasp of a life that is different than the one that is leaving them unfulfilled. These stories are not isolated incidents, but are sadly common. No wonder less than 4% of my generation claims christianity in our nation. Jesus longs to be gracious. He desires that we would recognize our need for Him. He desires that we would turn to Him; that we would look outside of ourselves. Like when Jesus spoke to the church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22), He is speaking to our hearts. “20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Jesus is the solution; He alone is the answer, He is the “Amen!” I have been praying Psalm 139 “Search me, O God, point out any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” It takes the spirit of God to awaken us and bring conviction. And then the Ephesians 1 prayer; Lord open my eyes and give to me revelation of the knowledge of God. Stir up fascination with Jesus in my heart.

And concerning the reality of the eternal destiny of those that refuse Jesus; does my heart not tremble? How timid we are on the topic of Hell while neither Jesus, nor the early church were silent. When we consider a love that went to the depths of the cross to save that which is lost; are we not moved by the multitudes on their way to Hell? Do we not know that we are ambassadors of heaven? Oh that I would be gripped with what grips His heart. The passivity I feel towards “the lost” exposes how disconnected I really am. It is more than an emotional stirring; it is agreement with God’s Word. When we agree with God’s heart, every area of our lives are influenced.